Sunday, May 24, 2009

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DoH) yesterday confirmed the country's second case of influenza A(H1N1), and has started tracking those who have been in close contact with the patient for testing.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said a 50-year-old woman who arrived from Chicago, USA on May 20 tested positive for A(H1N1) at the weekend.

"She only has mild symptoms which include fever and cough. She was immediately started on medication and is currently being monitored," said Mr. Duque.

He added the woman, who did not manifest flu-like symptoms after breezing through the airport's thermal scanner, visited a private clinic a day after her arrival.

The DoH is also tracking at least 25 people who were in the same flight. The patient's household is also under observation.

The virus's incubation is five to 10 days, and the antiviral treatment corresponds to this period.

Health Undersecretary Mario C. Villaverde said all frontline workers have been given prophylaxes.

The first confirmed case is undergoing recovery and is set for discharge should the next test prove negative. Those in contact with the patient have also been tested.

According to World Health Organization data, there are 12,022 confirmed A(H1N1) cases, including 86 deaths, in 43 countries.

Postpone classes

Meanwhile, League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) President Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr. will recommend a nationwide postponement of the opening of classes on June 1 to monitor students returning from infected countries.

Prices of school supplies such as pad papers, composition notebooks, and pencils have remained stable, according to the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Education following a joint monitoring recently.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has mobilized soldiers to decongest public schools in Maguindanao of thousands of evacuees who have been displaced by the continued fighting between government and separatist rebel forces.

With several taxi groups in Manila planning to increase rates to cover for the expense in implementing the "Special Taxi Metering System," the City Council is asking Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to consider moving the date in implementing the system.

New People's Army (NPA) rebels executed a military intelligence officer last Saturday, a day after they seized him in Monkayo, Compostela Valley. The body of S/Sgt. Rolen Maglangit, an intelligence officer of the Army's 36th Infantry Battalion based in Agusan del Sur, was found at the boundary of Kilometers 14 and 15 in Barangay Pasian, Monkayo town.

Autopsy showed that Mangangit's body bore 13 gunshot wounds from an M-16 Armalite rifle and two more from an M-14 rifle.

The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the order of the Ombudsman placing under a six-month preventive suspension without pay Rear Adm. Constancio Jardiniano and nine other Navy officers and men pending their investigation for alleged misuse of education and training funds.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation warned the public against misinformation given by non-accredited lying-in clinics that members of their dependents may avail of the Maternity Care Package from them but that members have to file their claims directly with PhilHealth.

An estimated P20 million worth of property was lost in a fire that swept through one of the departments of a company in the Mactan Export Processing Zone 1 along 5th Street, barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City past 2 a.m. yesterday.

Farmers, Catholic bishops and other non-government organizations will hold a rally in front of the House of Representatives in Quezon City to pressure lawmakers to immediately pass the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reform bill.

Space Shuttle Atlantis and its crew of seven returned to Earth yesterday, ending their exalted Hubble Space Telescope repair mission in California after stormy weather prevented a return to NASA's Florida home base.

In London to promote his July 18 fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, comebacking Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. said he would beat Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao with his ring skills and IQ if ever their dream showdown eventually materializes.

It was evident that COca-Cola wanted it more. The Tigers chased every loose ball, contested every rebound and played with a lot more desire in holding off the Alaska Aces, 81-74, last night at the Ynares Center to secure the No. 8 seeding in the wild card phase of the Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup. The Ginebra Gin Kings, meanwhile, vented their ire on Rain or Shine to score a 114-71 victory that finally nailed for them an outright Final Four seat.

Kobe Bryant sent a 3-pointer over J.R. Smith to give Los Angeles a one-point lead with just over a minute remaining Saturday as the Lakers went on to win 103-97 over the Denver Nuggets for a 2-1 lead in the NBA Western Conference finals.

Filipino American Raymond Patrick Tolentino graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University here and was named salutatorian of the university's Class of 2009, the Philippine embassy in the US said in a statement.

Despite his apology and claim that the videos of his sexual trysts with various women including actress Katrina Halili were uploaded without his consent, Dr. Hayden Kho is not yet of the hook in the investigation being conducted by government agents.